Tunnels Beach on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai

I certainly have a love of Kauai – its remoteness, its greenery, its friendly people – all of that make for a beautiful vacation. Over the years, I have created quite a collection of images of the island and I think it would be great to celebrate the location with a series of articles about the different beaches around the coastline.

I have written a couple of articles already – Ke’e Beach at the extreme northwestern end of the road is a real destination in its own right, and also Queens Bath, while not strictly a beach, has its own followers although it is definitely a summer only destination. Moving around the island in a clockwise direction, the next beautiful beach we encounter is Tunnels Beach.

Tunnels Beach, locally known as Makua Beach, isn’t just a picturesque paradise; it’s a locale rich in history and cultural significance. In ancient times, the native Hawaiians referred to it as “Makua,” meaning parent, symbolizing the nurturing presence of the land. The beach carries the stories of generations, and I hope to capture that in my photographs.

When is the best time to visit the beach? Unless you are staying in the immediate area, the answer depends on whether you can find parking! There are only two narrow dirt roads on the right (when going north) where you are allowed to park, and one of them has warning signs saying that the road is owned by the homeowners and is private! You can park at Ha’ena beach park and walk along the beach – good exercise! As you can see from my photos, I am often there at sunrise, and I’m pleased to say there is plenty of parking at that time!

You can often see wonderful panoramas of the beaches in this area from a helicopter tour, but this isn’t a great way to actually visit. If you are interested, I’ve written an article about my experiences of a helicopter tour of Kauai here.

The allure of Tunnels doesn’t just include the lovely sandy beach – the water is protected, in summer, by a reef and it is famous for snorkeling and the variety of sea life just under the surface. The extent of the reef can be seen in this aerial view of the beach.

The winter can be problematic at many beaches on the North Coast, though. Signs will be posted, and it is not safe to enter the water at these times. Not everyone can read, unfortunately!

Wildlife abounds on the beaches at time, with turtles coming in to rest. These are often roped off to keep tourists away, but always keep your distance!

I’ve always admired the lifestyle on the beach – doesn’t this look like a life to envy!

The big advantage of a sunrise visit (besides parking) is the ability to have the entire place to yourself. This view of the sun rising over the water by the Hanalei and Princeville area is one of my new photographs taken in August 2023.

And, looking in the opposite direction, the sun’s rays just start to highlight the ridges of the mountains that give Tunnels Beach its unique view.

Down on the ground, the perfect sandy beach stretches into the distance. Hardly a soul to be seen!

I also thought this set of footprints leading off into the distance was a perfect illustration of sand and sea on Kauai:

Finally, I will leave this gorgeous beach with my own personal favorite image. Taken in late February 2020 just before all the pandemic lockdowns, I think this aerial panorama really captures the beach and also shows that this is clearly on a small and dramatic island. A perfect illustration of Kauai! The next article about beaches awaits – Lumaha’i Beach.

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